WASHINGTON ― Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, a 12-term Republican from New Jersey and chairman of the most sought-after committee in Congress ― the Appropriations Committee ― announced Monday that he would not run for re-election.

Frelinghuysen’s announcement was a bit of surprise, considering he could still serve as the top Republican on the powerful Appropriations Committee for another four years under House GOP rules. But faced with the prospect of a tough race ― Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump in that district by only 1 point in 2016 ― as well as internal discussions about removing Frelinghuysen as chairman after he voted against the party’s tax bill, the 71-year-old GOP moderate decided to call it quits.

Keep quitting guys. You certainly don’t want to be associated with Trump’s next two years in office.

Comments (16)

The other retirement in the news involves Andrew McCabe stepping down at the FBI.

The right-wing noise machine made much of McCabe’s position because his wife is running for the Virginia state senate with the $600,000 backing of Terry McAuliffe. This is portrayed by the right as a “bribe” that Hillary Clinton used to keep the FBI from recommending she go to prison.

The tone deafness of Democrats is almost a wondrous thing to behold. I mean, really? Nobody thought that looked bad? Appearance of impropriety, anyone?

Term limits people. Professional politicos who have not had a job in the private sector for years and who are eligible for social security need to go! People representing rank and file citizenry should not be allowed to be so out of touch with their base. This applies to all, regardless of the letter following their name on the roles. Good riddance!

I’ve heard talk of term limits for over 40 years, and I’ve also heard all the arguments against it and found them wanting. Hell, deeply pathetic and contrived is more like it. How about we start right here in Delaware?

Anyway…For a long time the rules of the Senate meant that you needed old guys in their bringing home your state’s fair share of pork. Since 2011 and the elimination of earmarks, and because the Senate doesn’t really operate under rules anymore – seniority doesn’t matter.

If the lifers feel enough heat, they will take a walk rather than risk embarrassment and the loss after a long career … Look at all the House R’s in swingy districts taking a walk (Freylinghusen in NJ, Darrell Issa from Cali)…if Carper felt some true, real heat from the left and a credibly funded opponent, he might reconsider his plans….. but no credible challenger has ever stepped up.

I dunno, Chris. Remember Bill Roth. He should have stepped aside for Mike Castle but wouldn’t. It would only be karmic justice if the same fate befalls Carper, the beneficiary of Roth’s inability to let go.

Also, these guys build up so much seniority that their staffs want them to hang on…and most of the time, these guys have nothing else to do and the Senate job is not so much heavy lifting or grueling, so they just hang on….they have huge staffs of so many people –doing everything for them– its hard to walk away and give it all up.

Per Roth, he and Castle did not have the closest of relationships… friendly on surface, but not really good buds.

All you need is a witch to stand in for the primary. The over whelming feeling was to ditch Castle at any cost to end the dynasty. Not thrilled at all with Coons, or anyone at the moment, but ousting a dynasty to bring about change is something,